Summer I Turned Fisher
by mrsconradfischer
Summary: We all wanted to know the series of events of how Con and Bells got back together and here it is, Belly and Conrad's infinite story. It takes place while Belly's in Spain. Belly and Conrad's POV. Review Review Review!
1. Chapter 1

_Belly_

I like to think that all the series of events leads up to what's meant to happen, no matter what you choose, you will end up with what's meant to be. But now, that thought is wearing thin, and I'm starting to think otherwise.

* * *

_Conrad_

The summer house came to life every time I went there, as well as Belly. I refuse to remember her in that white dress ready to marry my brother, wrinkles just above her brow from worrying, and the tears I heard just as I closed the door. Belly was young and carefree yearning for our attention. The one who was teased for the simplest of reasons and secretly loved it despite always tattling on us. Summer was when she came back to life in my world. That's how I want to remember her.

But here they are. Both the summer house and Belly before my eyes, living, breathing, and beautiful just as my mom always said. She came back. I can't believe she came back for me. She looks at me with her hopeful gray eyes, and she doesn't have to say a word because I know. I know why she's here. As she's about to say the three words, she changes into her younger version of herself. She looks up at me and starts to cry. The more she cries, the more vulnerable she looks. Everything in me tells me to let it go, but I can't. I won't. I still love her and I don't want her this way.

"What's wrong, Bells?" I ask her nervously.

"You're always so far away," she choked out in sobs.

I woke up with tears on my face. She was so real, so beautiful and right in front of my grasp. How could it have possibly be a dream? I get up and go to the bathroom to wash my face, hoping to gain some sanity. What if that dream meant something? She's thousands and thousands of miles away from me, could it mean that she misses me too?

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and take that as a sign. I love her. I miss her. I won't let her go until I'm sure there's no hope in us. But how can I reach out and tell her I'm here and waiting?


	2. Chapter 2

_Belly _

I've been in Spain for about two days, and I couldn't help but think of him. I had left just so that I could escape the old me. The one who tore apart friendships, bonded and strengthened summer after summer. The one who tore apart brothers, effecting all the people I love, even the ones who weren't living.

My mom thought she was being secretive in the backseat of the car with her hand over her mouth on the phone. Her eyes glancing at the mirror towards me every few seconds gave away that she was hiding something, so I played along and pretended to be asleep. Steven was too focused on the road to notice, but not me. Not when I heard his name.

_"Look Connie, it's not a good idea for you to go to the airport to see her go...Yes, I know you do, I'm sure she does too, but for now keep yourself busy and don't think about her leaving...Leaving is her best bet for her to heal. Maybe you need this too...Beck would agree with me and you know it...I'll call you when she leaves, okay? I'll be stopping by the summer house before you go back to California and we can talk then because I think she's waking up soon. We're an exit away from the airport...Okay I'll see you soon. Don't do anything stupid now." _

She should have known I heard. He thinks about me? He wanted to see me? No. I had been months since I had even heard of him, and now his name caused me to go into this trance I needed to snap out of.

That's what I was going to do. I already settled in my dorm with my best friend since forever, Taylor, and now I just need to find an escape from him because I guess thousands of miles over a large sea wasn't a good enough escape from him. I grabbed my map, phone, and bag and went on an adventure for some sugar.

* * *

How is it possible that the local stores don't have Sour Patch Kids? If Spanish people have never had Sour Patch Kids, its safe to say that they're deprived and that their taste buds haven't had pure goodness ever.

Just as I entered my dorm, my phone rang. My mom.

"Hola mama!"

"Please tell me you know more Spanish than just those two words," my mom joked with an expected smile on the other side of the phone.

"Ha ha very funny. One day, I'll know so much Spanish, you wouldn't even know I called you a curse word because I'm so good."

"Smart ass. So how is it there? How's Taylor liking it?"

"Taylor loves it, and actually, she already met a guy on our floor. New country, same Taylor." I continued in the most serious voice I could, "And I'm dying of deprivation, Mom. I don't know how people live out here!"

"What? You've been there all of 48 hours. You can't possibly dislike it when you haven't experienced anything! I did not spend this much money for you to-"

"THEY DON'T HAVE SOUR PATCH KIDS, MOM. How am I going to last?!"

She sighed in relief and chuckled lightly. "Oh my goodness. Here you are saying Taylor stayed the same, when you're the same old Belly. You'll be fine."

My light mood halted and I was silent. She said same old Belly. The Belly I thought I left back in the States.

"I should be going soon. Steven is about to leave to see your dad before he drives to school. Call soon. I love you," she said after waiting for an answer that wouldn't come out.

"Love you. Tell him I said to call me soon. He might want to visit now that Claire Cho is out of the picture. There are girls that are his type here."

She laughed lightly and said she would, then the line ended.

Maybe my mom was right. I am the same Belly.

Well that needs to change. New country, new, independent Belly.

* * *

The second Taylor came through the door, I grabbed her hand and told her we were going to go do something important. Now that I chose to be different in Spain, I guess I should look it too.

We found a salon close by, and cut my hair even though I loved it long more than anything. So did Conrad. Maybe if I cut it, it'll help with getting him off my mind. I pretended the length of my hair held the memories I had with the Fisher's because that's what held me back the most. I needed to move on from them and focus on me. So before I could change my mind, I asked for a bob hair cut.

Bye long hair.

Bye memories.

Goodriddens old me.


	3. Chapter 3

_Conrad_

I overheard their whole conversation. I had asked Laurel to let me hear her, and after insisting I had to and that it wouldn't make things harder, she promised she would. I knew she would. She lied about the whole Steven thing for my sake.

We had this special bond, me and Laur. Maybe it was because I was the oldest between all of us boys and Belly, and I was always smart with my decisions thanks to my Encyclopedia studies and chemistry set. Maybe it was the whole "old soul" thing we both had that bonded us together even when my mom was still here. She was like Belly, but in a more authoritative figure. She understood me more than I understood myself. Damn, the Conklin women had a thing for understanding us Fisher men.

When my mom died, Laurel and my relationship just got stronger. She knew why I did what I did to people, even though it costed her mending her daughters broken heart just because I couldn't get my fucked up emotions straight. She understood, but that didn't mean she liked it. That's because she did the same thing to Mr. Conklin when my mom started getting sick. She knew what it felt like doing something, not knowing how life shattering the consequences were, but the difference was, she fell out of love with Belly's dad in the process of pushing him away; however, I loved Belly with every part of my being. And I still do.

Our closeness was the reason why I went to her about my dream. Telling her how much it kills me not to be with Belly, not like she didn't already know about that. I knew she would help, and that she did.

* * *

Laur started walking towards Belly's room right after I told her everything. Confused, I stared at her wondering whether to follow or to stay put until she came back.

"Come on, loverboy. If you want your girl back, you'll have to help me find something," Laurel yelled from her room, "Belly's closet cuts into the attic."

I followed her steps, went into Bell's room and tried not to look at anything for the sake of my sanity. As I cut through the closet, and opened the second door that opened up the attic's stairs, Laur exclaimed she found it.

Stacks and stacks full of boxes, albums and frames with their Christmas family pictures in it occupied their attic. Turns out, their Christmas photos were as brutal as ours.

She opened a small box that had an inch of dust on its top. It was filled with books that had papers sticking out of the pages.

"Belly's dad gave me these books when we first got married. He had underlined cheesy quotes and sayings that reminded him of me and occasionally wrote in the margins adding or explaining the line or two. Even though him and I aren't together, I still feel that memory of love he and I had for each other."

Her eyes watered as she opened a book, assuming she was reading one of those quotes. I didn't dare open them. I felt like I had already invaded their former relationship between each other, so I just looked at the titles of the books.

"He wrote a note down in this book," she said smiling as she handed me the book.

On one of the pages, I read:

_ 'Know that even though you do things better on your own, I am always here for you._

_These authors write these words lacking something that you fill-the meanings._

_Hopefully, these quotes will help prove that I mean every word. I love you always.' _

"If you dare tell my kids this, you will get a whooping. I am not a sap. Got it?" Laur looked at me with all seriousness, but I knew better. She was teasing a bit.

"Yes'mam," I say satisfying her command.

She began to put the books away in a tedious order and then returned it to where it was in the first place.

As we walked down the stairs, she said, "You said you want her to know you're there for her right? That you're waiting?"

I nodded.

"Then you have to do something to prove it. Belly's father and I are civil, and I can still go to him if I wanted to. I just choose not to because like he said, I'm better at handling things by myself."

We were in Belly's room by then. I saw Junior Mint all alone on her printer, all alone. She left it? Of course she did. I got it for her, and I was the one who ruined things.

I suddenly had an idea. I'd prove it to her, and I'd make it up to her. I'll make sure never to screw things up like I did before.

"You can take that with you if you want," Laurel snapped me out of my thoughts. I guess she saw me staring at that damn forty dollar bear I got her.

I smiled, and turned to towards her, thanked her for all her help.

"Hey, while you're here, can you fix my computer? Steven's no good at it, and he's out sulking about his break up with Claire Cho. Maybe that all that memorization from the encyclopedia books you did that summer could help you out," she said laughing, walking out of the room and towards her study.

Shaking my head, I followed and asked when I stood at the study's doorway, "Come on Laur, will I ever live that down?"

She threw her head back and laughed, "Not a chance."


End file.
